Tough love
by StupidSexyFlanders
Summary: Po must clean up the training hall as a punishment for his gluttony. An unexpected visit from Tigress will change both their lives forever.


**Hi everybody!**

**I'm a big fan of Po x Tigress stories so I decided to write one! I am also using this opportunity to shamelessely plug my Ironman / Kun-fu Panda story called "Heart of Iron". Go read it in the crossover section, I command you!**

**Regards to KrisEleven and Shouvin.**

**Kung-Fu Panda is a property of Deamworks SKG.**

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><p>Po grabbed the broom and started sweeping angrily. <em>That's <em>_not __fair!_ he thought. Everybody in the Jade Palace had been invited to the inauguration of the new temple in the nearby village. But Master Shifu had decided that Po had to stay here. Alone! Just because Po had a little snack! He heard there was to be dancing and signing at the ceremony. And a feast. _A __feast!_ His stomach grumbled with envy at the very thought.

Po started twirling his broom like a weapon, practicing the moves Monkey taught him.

He should be with the Furious Fives instead. They were a team! More than that, Po considered them as his family now. He already missed his best buddies, Monkey and Mantis. The always caring Viper, the wise Crane. And there was Tigress. Just being around such strength and beauty was enough to get him trough anything. He closed his eyes and her face filled his mind. Her crimson eyes, her oh so pretty fur. He could almost perceive her sweet lily scent…_Oh. __Wait!_

He slowly turned around.

"How long have you been here?" he asked.

"You're getting quite good with that bo stick, Dragon warrior," Tigress said with a wide grin.

"Aren't you supposed to be with the others at the ceremony?" he asked, putting down his broom.

"I have never been the one for protocol." She walked to him. "I would rather spend that time training. In fact, I was wondering if you would join me,"

"I'd like nothing better," said Po. "But Shifu said the training hall must be cleaned by the time he comes back. He was pretty clear about that. Still, I think it's a little harsh of a punishment. Just because I ate a couple of dumplings!"

"Po, you ate _all_ our dumplings stock," Tigress said.

"They were about to go bad!" Po cried, "You should thank me!"

Tigress crossed her arms. "And there's the bean buns…"

"I was just testing if there was enough bean paste. That's quality control!"

"You tested _all_ of them! How could you!"

"Hey!" Po patted his spacious belly. "This is not just for good looks you know. It's a weapon. And like all weapons it needs maintenance!"

Tigress laughed. "Let's make a deal," she said. "If you manage to beat me once, I'll help you clean the training hall. What do you think?"

Po considered her offer for a second: To be alone with Tigress AND maybe have help for the cleaning.

He threw the broom aside. "Bring it on!"

They started with a few basic moves. Both of them alternatively attacking and blocking. It gradually became more intense and Po was managing to hold his ground pretty well. He suddenly saw an opening and threw his best punch. But it was a trick for his fist landed straight into Tigress's palm with a painful thud. When he felt her fingers tighten around his fist, he knew exactly was she was about to do. _Not __this __time_ he thought. When Tigress pulled on his arm, he moved in the same direction. She was taken off balance for half a second and Po used that chance to spin her around and hold her in a tight bear hug.

"Ha! I knew you would do that!" Po said. "You can't fool me with the same trick every time, Master Tigress!"

"Congratulations, Dragon Warrior," she said. "Your progress impresses me."

"Just say that I am awesome, I know it burns you lips!"

"You can release me now," she said.

Po knew how this was going to end, but his mind was set: he tightened his hold.

"Make me," he said.

It was like trying to wrestle a tornado. First thing he knew, Tigress was no longer in his arms. His feet were swept from beneath him and he was spun at least three times in the air before crashing on the wooden floor. That last flourish was totally unnecessary, but it seems that Tigress wanted to be sure that her point was made. She stood above him, grinning.

"Did you really think you could hold me?" she asked.

Po shook his head to clear his vision. "No, not really," he said.

Tigress offered her hand to help him up. "Then, why did you even try?"

Po smiled but said nothing_. __Why? _He thought_. __Because __I'm __willing __to __take __a __beating __just __to __have __a __chance __to __hold __you __in __my __arms. __Because __when __you __are __close __to __me, __my __heart __is __about __to __burst __and __my __blood __is __on __fire? __That's __why!_

He grabbed her hand and got up.

"You know," she started, "There are holds that are nearly unbreakable, would you like me to show you?"

Po brushed aside his feelings and put on his usual cheerful attitude. "That would be awesome!" he said.

"It goes like this…" Tigress said.

She grabbed his right wrist with her left hand and bended his arm toward his shoulder. At the same time her right leg moved behind his own and her remaining hand joined the first in a firm grip on his arm. Her body was firmly pressed against his. Her face was not even an inch away, her whiskers tickling his cheek.

She whispered in his ear. "What do you think of that, Po? A little more effective than your hug isn't?"

Po struggled a little, evaluating his options. He had the choice between falling on the floor or have his shoulder dislocated. As he was pondering that, he realized that he could feel her heartbeat against his chest. The smell of lily of her perfume was suddenly overwhelming. He knew then that he had a third option, a move on which he was ready to bet his life.

"I can break that hold," he said softly.

Tigress's incredulous eyes met his for a second. Before she had a chance to say anything, Po pressed his lips against hers.

He wished that fleeting moment to last forever, but when he felt her grip loosen a little, he pulled out of the hold and took a step back. Tigress was staring at him, her mouth agape.

"You… You…" she tried to speak, but the words would not come. She took her fingers to her lips, still unbelieving. She turned her back to him, in a desperate attempt to hide her fluster.

For a long moment, they both stood still, neither saying anything. The only sound was the wind outside the training hall.

Po walked slowly to her and laid his hands on her shoulders.

"Tell me Tigress," he said. "I must know. Was it _that_ unpleasant?"

"That was… unexpected," she finally managed to say.

"Was it? When I stumble, you catch me. Whenever I fall, you pick me up. I thought at first that you were just helpful to a clumsy panda. Then I started noticing other coincidences. When I get up early to make breakfast for everybody, you are always the first in the kitchen. Are you hungry or or do you just want to spend a little time alone with me?"

Tigress didn't answer.

"When Shifu send me to the village for whatever reason," he continued, "how is it that you are always the one with nothing better to do but to go with me? And today, there's just the two of us in the entire Jade Palace. Was that also unexpected?"

She still kept silent.

"Tigress, look at me."

She slowly turned around. Her gaze met his, her wide eyes looking worried and hopeful at the same time.

Gone was the clumsy panda. He have never been surer of anything in his life. He never wanted anything more in his life. He put his hand on the small of her back and pressed her body against his, slowly caressing the fur on her head with his other hand.

"Close your eyes," Po whispered.

She complied and lifted her chin toward him a little, her slightly parted lips revealing just a hint of her pretty white teeth. Po kissed her, slowly at first, then with more and more intensity as all the love and desire he had repressed for so long started flowing back into him. Before long he sensed that Tigress responded with an equal passion, wrapping her powerful arms around his body.

After a moment, their lips pulled apart. Tigress buried her face in his neck and held him even tighter.

"Tigress," Po started hesitantly, " I love you. I have been loving you since the first time we met. I can't hide it anymore. I always had been afraid that you would reject me if I ever confessed my feelings. That time is over. I can renounce being the Dragon Warrior, you can rip me to shreds. I don't care. I love you".

For a long moment, Tigress didn't say anything. When she finally pulled back, her eyes were wet with tears.

"Tigress, what's wrong?" Po asked, worried.

"Nothing is wrong Po. It's just that I thought that moment would never come."

"How so?" he asked, caressing her head again.

"I sacrificed so much to be a better warrior, I know it left me lacking as a person. I have been wrestling with my feelings for you for a long time, but I never worked up the courage to tell you. If you haven't made the first move…" she paused and looked down, as if ashamed. "I don't know what would have happened," she finally said.

"We will never know what would have happened, my love." Po kissed her on the head. "We have found each other now, all the rest is irrelevant."

He cupped her face in his hands and they kissed again slowly, there was so much catching up to do.

Tigress looked into Po's emerald eyes. "The others won't be back for hours," she said, slowly running a claw in the fur of his chest.

Po laughed and swept her the floor. He started for the door with Tigress in his arms.

"Let's make the most of it!" he said.


End file.
